Snow
by malloyfan
Summary: “When did everything go wrong? When did we sin so greatly that even snow comes with a price?”


Snow 

Disclaimer: Don't own them! Totally belong to AS and WB. Ahh, but tis sweet to dream.

Pairing: L/M

Spoilers: Through season 4.

Rating: PG

Author's Note: I'm frozen, actually frozen. We've got almost a foot of snow, the ice is coming now, and I had to prune a tree so laden with snow that it was in danger of falling on my good fence. Anyhow, this little tidbit sprung to mind as I slowly turned into an ice sculpture.

Feedback: Like an offer to shovel my snow for free!

* * *

Leo McGarry stood in the doorway of his dimly light office silently watching her. She looked cold as she stood there her arms wrapped around her slender waist, the side of her face pressed against the cold bulletproof glass of the window. The exterior lights bathed her in a soft glow that made her hair shine iridescently. His breath caught slightly as she sighed deeply.

"It's snowing," she whispered, her breath fogging the glass as she spoke without moving.

He moved into the office closing the door behind him, "How'd you know I was here?"

"I could smell your cologne."

"Oh," he moved to the opposite side of the window from where she stood mimicking her position. "How long has it been snowing?"

She began to trace patterns on the fogged window with her long finger, "Since a little after you went down to the sit room."

"Margaret, I've been down there for hours now. You should have gone home. Your car will never make it through snow," he scolded lightly, his eyes following her manicured fingertip.

"I go when you go," her voice caught in a deep sigh.

"I know," his voice quite to match her own. Tenderly, he reached out and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, his finger trailing down her jaw line lightly, "What's the matter?"

"Its snowing, Leo," she answered as if that should answer all his questions.

He narrowed his eyes watching her for a moment, "But, you've always loved the snow. I can't count all the times you dragged me out into the freezing cold to wander around the mall in the snow. And, as I recall, it was you that started all those snowball fights with the President during the first campaign. We all had to find shields the minute you two found enough snow someplace to make even the puniest snowballs."

A small smiled played at her lips as she turned her back to the window and slumped on the narrow edge, "Yeah. Those were magical moments. Whatever happened to them?"

"What do you mean," again he mimicked her position, their shoulders barely touching.

"I mean, "she sighed. "When did everything go wrong? When did we sin so greatly that even snow comes with a price?"

"What price?"

"Whatever horrible tragedy in this world that kept you and the President in the sit room for six hours instead of enjoying the snow fall at twilight."

"Margaret," Leo started only to be stopped by her raised hand.

"I don't want to know. I know I can't know. I just don't think it's fair that you," she jabbed her finger in his chest, "had to miss another snowfall, because somebody blew something up."

Leo capture the hand that was still on his chest and held it closely to him, "Well, then let's go enjoy the snow before the rest of DC wakes up and stomps all over it."

"What?"

"Go get your coat on and let's go for a walk," he pushed her toward the door as he grabbed his own coat and gloves. A few moments later when he emerged from his office, she was standing by her door bundled up in her coat and her matching hat, gloves and scarf all firmly in place. Taking her hand he led her silently through the nearly deserted halls of the West Wing, heading for the mall.

As they walked the only sound around them was that of the snow crunching under their feet. Leo marveled as he could actually feel the sadness and tension drop from Margaret like pieces of ice melting and braking away from a glacier as the continue to walk briskly in the chilly midnight air. He watched as her eyes grew large taking in all that was around them as if she had never seen anything like it before. Although, truthfully neither of them had ever seen this before, because with each new snowfall the mall and monuments seemed to recreate themselves just for these few precious pre-dawn hours.

Suddenly, Margaret stopped, tugging desperately at his hand. "Leo, look," she barely whispered afraid to break whatever spell had been cast around them.

His eyes followed the direction that her eyes were staring until they landed on the object of her wonder: the Smithsonian "Castle." The regal red building seemed to glisten as spotlights reflected off the snow bathing the Castle in simmering rainbows.

"Good god," he whispered, "I've never seen the Castle so beautiful."

Margaret suddenly hugged Leo, "Thank you."

"For what," he asked holding her to him as he stroke her cheek with the back of his knuckles.

She kissed his cheek quickly, "For helping me find magic in snow again."

* * *

Donna followed Margaret towards her office, each of them carrying an armload of reports that had just been copied, "So this morning my stupid car won't start. I tried calling you, but you weren't home. Where were you last night?"

Margaret smiled as Donna paused for the first time in seemingly hours, "I stayed here last night. It was so late when we got done I just stayed."

"Oh," Donna dropped the papers on Margaret's desk nearly knocking over a small box in the center of the desk. "Oops. Hey, Margaret, what's this?"

Margaret shrugged taking the box from Donna and opening it. Slowly she pulled out a small Smithsonian Castle snow globe and note. The note, written in Leo's scrawl, read, "Because I find magic in you everyday."

Tears glistening on her bottom lashes, Margaret swiveled and launched herself at where she instinctively knew Leo was standing watching her. As he caught her in his arms, she kissed him soundly, unconcerned that Donna was standing watching them mouth agape. When their lips finally parted, she whispered, "Thank you."

"No, thank you," he whispered as he waved the young blonde from the room. "How about dinner and walk around the mall tonight?"

"Sounds magical," she whispered as he kissed her again.

The End!


End file.
